So last week I find myself in hat and gloves, offloading our last CRJ as the snow is dumping down. I promptly decide that when the next opportunity presents itself, I'm going south.
Fast-forward to thanksgiving day, I called up my brother in GPT and talked about going down Monday. He called me Saturday night and said he couldn't get off work Monday. Well, I've got no work, no school, a whole day on my hands. I've gotta do something.
I've been to MCO twice, never been to EYW. I decide to go: (D6:00)MDT-ATL-EYW(A11:45)(D16:30)EYW-MCO-ATL-MDT(A23:45).
Sunday is a pretty decent mess, our last departure is 3+ hours late, most pax elect to go Monday, all seats Monday untill 1700 booked. I decide to go to BWI. After all the fun, I list myself for the same itn, just exchanging MDT for BWI. I get home from work Monday at 2:20. I sleep until 3:30. I get up, shower, cold pizza breakfast, on the road to BWI. I got there a couple minutes later than I wanted to, and till I parked and got the shuttle to the terminal, it was 5:25. BWI has no kiosk for just carry-on, so I have to wait in line. I wait in line till about 5:55. I get relisted for the 7:05 and checked in. I hadn't even looked at seats for this flight, as I planned to make the first one. I just had my fingers crossed and heard my name called. Window seat!, First class! We left the gate on time and taxied almost to the runway. Then we pulled to a side ramp and the APU came on and engines off. Sweet, groundstop. We sat for about 30 minutes, then taxied on and tookoff. Landed in ATL about 40 minutes late. Taxied around the inside runway and past T, A, B, C, D, turned around and taxied past D, C, B and sat on the ramp for a couple minutes till we finally pulled into the gate.
I jogged off the plane at 9:47 looked at the departure monitor, and started sprinting. Full on sprint, almost throwing elbows. I got to gate C-30 something and heard my name called along with "this is your FINAL boarding call." I boarded, sat down, and turned my phone off at 9:55. Couldn't get a better seat, window behind the wing, also my first flight on a CR7. Got into EYW fine at about 11:45, and called a moped rental place, Pirate Scooters. I highly recommend them. They picked me up at the airport, and rented me a moped for 1/2 day with free gas for $43. It was almost 80 degrees. Really fun, got the moped up above 40MPH. Had a great time till 15:15. I took the moped back, and they took me back to the airport.
Now the REAL fun begins. I was going to take the last departure of the day(16:30) to MCO, but the flight before that hasn't left yet. So I figured I maybe could go n/s to ATL and get home earlier. The ATL flight is weight restricted, no getting on that one. I went back to the counter and relisted for the MCO, but now its delayed till 18:30. I figured I couldn't make the connection to ATL and get to BWI all in the same day, so I bought an ID90 on WN n/s MCO-BWI. That flight was sched. for 20:05 and I would get into MCO at 19:30. Of course the EYW-MCO flight delays another 35-40 minutes.
I got to MCO at about 20:10, and found out the last n/s to BWI left at 20:05. I got ahold of a friend that lives in Winter Park. I asked him what he was up to, and he said he's just getting in his car to pick up his roommate from the airport. I said Sanford or MCO? MCO!!!!! I met his roommate at US Airways baggage claim and my buddy picked us up. I bought him dinner and we watched the end of the Steelers game and hung out till about 12:30. We left for the airport at about 5:40. I thanked him again and enter the mass of people checking in for WN. Thank you carry-on only Kiosk. I got to the gate at about 6:10. I confirmed my listing with the gate agent and she cleared me right there. I was in the last boarding group and, suprisingly, got first row window. The flight left on time at 6:40, and I got into BWI at like 8:45. I had to wait till almost everyone deplaned till I could get back to where I stowed my backpack. So I helped the FAs fix up the seats in the first few rows. Finally got my backpack, and headed out. I got home at like 10:15 and relaxed for awhile.
I checked Travelnet a little bit ago, and with no shows, missed connections, and delayed flights. I could have gotten out of MDT at 6am, and gotten back at 1am, and free parking.
It was stressful, but fun, and worth it. I really recommed Key West. I plan to go back when the opportunity rolls around again.
